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Art Rooney II made his end-of-the-year press interviews on Wednesday, first with a small group of reporters and then on the Steelers Live show on Steelers.com. Thanks to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Steeler fans were given some insight as to the private interview. Some of the topics discussed in either instance were the following:
On evaluating the 2018 season, especially not making the playoffs:
“It was a tough way to end the season. It felt like we had a chance, and it really came down to just a few plays here and there in the season, literally at the end there. So it’s disappointing that we didn’t make it. It felt like we had a team, particularly the last three weeks of the season, playing well and playing some of the playoff teams and playing well against them. So it’s disappointing.”
Art Rooney said Steelers season was "tough to swallow." Reason?
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) January 16, 2019
"When you feel you're that close and feel you have the team to compete if you got in."
“I think the two things that if I had to pick out a couple things that were a problem. One was a kicking game was below average and below where we expected in to be. And second is the minus turnover ratio. That’s always a problem. We can’t be on the wrong side of that.”
On how he would evaluate the players and the coaches:
“I think that when you don’t make the playoffs, nobody is absolved. You just have to say that the players coaches, staff, front office, everybody’s got to do a better job.”
“I think we have a core group of players that can get us back to where we want to be. I look forward to working on this off-season and trying to get the pieces back in place.”
On Mike Tomlin’s performance:
Steelers Art Rooney on Mike Tomlin's job performance:
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) January 16, 2019
"When you miss the playoffs, nobody gets absolved . . . I think everybody knows we need to do better, including Mike"
“I think everybody left room for improvement. When you don’t make the playoffs you look at everything and everyone. Coach (Tomlin) and I have talked about a number of different things. And Kevin (Colbert) the same way. So we have work to do.”
On the promotion of Shawn Sarrett:
“Shawn was probably going to get an opportunity eventually somewhere, and so we’re glad it’s here. He’s been mentoring with Munch for a number of years now. So he’s comfortable in the room and he knows the guys and the guys know him. So we think he’ll be able to step up and do the job.”
On an extension for Ben Roethlisberger:
Art Rooney said one of the goals this offseason is to get a contract extension for Ben Roethlisberger
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) January 16, 2019
“Ben had a strong year physically and mentally. I think he’s in a good place and, as you look around the league and see guys playing into their 40’s at the quarterback position, there’s no reason to think that Ben can’t be one of those guys.”
On the Antonio Brown situation:
Art Rooney said he still has had no contact with Antonio Brown, which he called "disappointing." He said AB was not a major distraction to the team "until the last week of the season . . . the situation changed the last week of the season"
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) January 16, 2019
“I would have liked to have been able to talk with him and understand a little better from his perspective what went on the last week of the season.”
More Art Rooney:
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) January 16, 2019
-- No trade discussions yet for Antonio Brown and while he's keeping doors open, as far as his returning to Steelers there's "not that many signs out there that that's going to happen"
On Ryan Shazier in 2019:
“We’re going to continue to work with him and figure out how that works.”
Art Rooney said Ryan Shazier still wants to rehab with the idea of playing football again. His contract is up, so Rooney said they probably would have to sign him as a player this year to allow him to do that
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) January 16, 2019
“He just continues to be an impressive young man who is making progress beyond what anyone predicted he would make. He was jogging in the workout room the other day, so I wouldn’t underestimate him.”
On Le’Veon Bell:
Art Rooney said he had no idea Le'Veon Bell would hold out the entire season. "How often does that happen in the NFL?"
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) January 16, 2019
“We’ve got a decision to make, so we’ll probably have some discussions with his representative here in the next few weeks and kind of talk through that.”
Steelers Art Rooney said he "feels good about" the running back position without Le'Veon Bell because of James Conner and Jaylen Samuels "two good young players"
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) January 16, 2019
On playing in Mexico:
“All I can tell you is we keep volunteering to make the trip and would love to go down there sometime. We have a great fan following down there in Mexico.”
On various other topics only answered in the private interview:
Art Rooney said he has talked to Mike Tomlin about having someone assist him with challenge calls on the field, but that would not be that person's only role. He called it "important"
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) January 16, 2019
Art Rooney would not commit to extending Mike Tomlin's contract, which has 2 years left, a traditional Steelers extension time for their coach. "Those are things we'll get to later in the offseason"
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) January 16, 2019
Steelers Art Rooney took umbrage with those referring to his 2018 team as a circus:
— Ed Bouchette (@EdBouchette) January 16, 2019
"It's nonsense. We didn't achieve our goal of winning the division but we finished half a game out and had a lot of oppoortunities to get there."